Pot plant rage leads to assault

A MAN will serve 100 hours of community service after pleading guilty in Gladstone Magistrate Court yesterday to one count of common assault and one count of trespassing.

Kevin Douglas Anderson pleaded guilty to both charges, but attributed his actions to a case of ADHD, other undefined mental health issues and a series of unfortunate events.

The incident of common assault occurred on November 15 last year, when Anderson threw pot plant mix into the face of his carer and then punched her in the face with a closed fist.

Anderson admitted his actions, although he said he couldn't remember exactly what happened. He claimed to suffer from bouts of uncontrollable rage and, though he remembered trying to grab his carer by the face, he was unsure whether he actually punched her or not.

The assault, he claimed, was in response to his carer deliberately kicking over Anderson's pot plant.

The court heard this act was reportedly the last straw for Anderson, who claimed his relationship with his carer was strained ever since he had moved in two years before.

Anderson had been in foster care since he was 13 years of age, after his parents decided they were not in a position to take care of him.

Following the assault, Anderson had run away from the carer's residence and was homeless for a month before eventually moving in with his mother again.

She then reportedly kicked him out of her house on his 18th birthday.

The incident of trespass took place about one week later in March, when Anderson returned to his mother's house with a group of youths.

Police were called to the scene and found the residence in a state of disarray. Anderson and his companions were hiding in Anderson's old bedroom. He claimed the only reason he returned to the residence was because he had nowhere else to go, and had actually hoped to be taken back in by his mother.

Magistrate Russell Warfield sympathised with the circumstances that led to both of Anderson's charges.

“You've obviously had some difficulties in life, and it hasn't always been easy for you,” he said.

“But that's no excuse for this sort of behaviour.

“If you go around assaulting people, regardless of your reasoning, you will end up in jail,” he said.